A crowded field is vying to succeed former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia’s heavily Republican 14th Congressional District, setting up a complex and potentially lengthy election cycle.
A district attorney, a sitting state senator and a trash-hauling entrepreneur are among the 22 candidates who qualified before the deadline Wednesday. The field includes 17 Republicans, three Democrats, one Libertarian and one independent.
All candidates will appear on the same all-party ballot in a special election on March 10. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff scheduled for April 7.
Greene resigned earlier this month, ending a tumultuous five-year tenure in Congress marked by her hard-right positions and national profile. The district, which stretches from Atlanta’s northwest suburbs through all or part of 10 counties to the Tennessee state line, is considered the most Republican-leaning district in Georgia by the Cook Political Report.
Republicans dominate the field, led by several high-profile contenders.
Among them is Clay Fuller of Trenton, who stepped down as district attorney for four northwest Georgia counties to run. Fuller finished fourth in the 2020 Republican primary won by Greene before being appointed district attorney in 2023 and winning a full term in 2024.
Also running is Colton Moore of Trenton, a former state representative and state senator who built a strong right-wing following as a member of the Freedom Caucus. Moore, an auctioneer, was known for his confrontational style during his time in the Legislature.
Nicky Lama, a Dalton City Council member first elected in 2023, is also in the race, branding himself as a “next-generation conservative.” Fuller, Moore and Lama were all required by Georgia law to resign their current offices in order to run.
Another prominent Republican is Brian Stover of Dallas, a former Paulding County commissioner who owns a trash-hauling business and has already begun buying television advertising. Party insiders in the race include Jim Tully, a former chairman of the 14th District Republican Party and former field representative for Greene, and Trey Kelly, an insurance and financial consultant who previously chaired the Fulton County Republican Party.
The Republican field also includes Beau Brown of Silver Creek; Christian Hurd, a former Marine from Rocky Face; Eric Cunningham of Paulding County, who finished third in a 2022 Republican primary won by Greene; James Marty Brown of Tunnel Hill, a volunteer firefighter and business owner; Jared Craig, a Newnan attorney who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2022; Jennifer Jaye Turnipseed of Chickamauga, an Army veteran, farmer and ROTC instructor; Larry Hilley of Catoosa County; Megahn Strickland of Powder Springs; Reagan Box of Armuchee; Star Black of Kennesaw; and Tom Gray, a pastor from Powder Springs.
On the Democratic side, Shawn Harris, who lost to Greene in 2024, is making another bid. The retired Army general and Cedartown farmer raised nearly $1.3 million last year in preparation for a 2026 challenge. He is joined by Jim Davis, a political writer and retired business owner from Floyd County, and Jon Hobbs, a patent representative from Dallas.
Voters will also see Libertarian Andrew Underwood of Rome and independent Rob “Rush” Ruszkowski of Rising Fawn on the ballot.
The special election is only the beginning of what could be a long campaign season. Because the regular election for the seat is scheduled for November, many candidates are expected to qualify for party primaries in early March before the outcome of the special election is known. That could force candidates to compete in the March special election, May party primaries, possible June runoffs and the November general election — all within the same year.